Comments for Joel Zehring http://joelzehring.edublogs.org "Education is not the filling of a pail, but the lighting of a fire." William Butler Yeats Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:08:24 -0500 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.2 hourly 1 Comment on The Cost of Free Public Education by Lisa Parisi http://joelzehring.edublogs.org/2009/11/21/the-cost-of-free-public-education/comment-page-1/#comment-78 Lisa Parisi Sat, 21 Nov 2009 22:08:24 +0000 http://joelzehring.edublogs.org/?p=315#comment-78 The reality is that what public schools (certainly the one my daughter attends) promise is a free education. That's it. With luck, a student can do well enough to get into a college that makes better promises. But there's no guarantee of anything. The reality is that what public schools (certainly the one my daughter attends) promise is a free education. That’s it. With luck, a student can do well enough to get into a college that makes better promises. But there’s no guarantee of anything.

]]> Comment on The Case for Google Apps by John Sowash http://joelzehring.edublogs.org/2009/11/16/the-case-for-google-apps/comment-page-1/#comment-77 John Sowash Wed, 18 Nov 2009 01:07:52 +0000 http://joelzehring.edublogs.org/?p=309#comment-77 You communicated very well, Joel. I can't think of any changes. I really like your final paragraph about collaboration vs. individual productivity. I say send it out! You communicated very well, Joel. I can’t think of any changes. I really like your final paragraph about collaboration vs. individual productivity. I say send it out!

]]> Comment on Does Your School Honor It’s Galileos? by John Sowash http://joelzehring.edublogs.org/2009/10/29/does-your-school-honor-its-galileos/comment-page-1/#comment-76 John Sowash Mon, 09 Nov 2009 02:27:03 +0000 http://joelzehring.edublogs.org/?p=301#comment-76 Administrators are really in a tough spot. I agree that Galileos are important and should have a voice, but at the same time decisions must be made. I have been in very few groups (the larger the group the less likely) who have come to a complete consensus. A good administrator will hear out all of the different ideas and opinions and try to get to the root of the issue while still maintaining the vision of the organization and negotiating buy-in from key individuals. That is why leadership is difficult. Unfortunately, someone will always be unhappy. Administrators are really in a tough spot. I agree that Galileos are important and should have a voice, but at the same time decisions must be made. I have been in very few groups (the larger the group the less likely) who have come to a complete consensus. A good administrator will hear out all of the different ideas and opinions and try to get to the root of the issue while still maintaining the vision of the organization and negotiating buy-in from key individuals. That is why leadership is difficult. Unfortunately, someone will always be unhappy.

]]> Comment on Does Your School Honor It’s Galileos? by John Spencer http://joelzehring.edublogs.org/2009/10/29/does-your-school-honor-its-galileos/comment-page-1/#comment-75 John Spencer Wed, 04 Nov 2009 13:46:17 +0000 http://joelzehring.edublogs.org/?p=301#comment-75 The only Galileo our schools seems to honor is the Galileo tests that are, oddly enough, as far from his legacy as possible. The only Galileo our schools seems to honor is the Galileo tests that are, oddly enough, as far from his legacy as possible.

]]> Comment on Does Your School Honor It’s Galileos? by Joel Zehring http://joelzehring.edublogs.org/2009/10/29/does-your-school-honor-its-galileos/comment-page-1/#comment-74 Joel Zehring Mon, 02 Nov 2009 19:52:58 +0000 http://joelzehring.edublogs.org/?p=301#comment-74 Hey Bill, If a community pushes out a dissenter, then it's not really a community, it's an oligarchy (I had to look it up to make sure that was the right word). Teachers are famous for following the path of least resistance: "Don't ask any questions, and we can end this staff meeting with time for grading." Admins are famous for bull-dozing dissenters who might upset the status quo: "I don't want to be *that principal* who can't keep his staff under control." Dissenters themselves misunderstand their role: "I am the only person in this school who really gets it, and I will not be silenced!" The special sauce of community that brings these people into harmony is empathy. Even though we all work in the same building, we do not all have the same cognitive, emotional, and energy resources. We have to exercise sensitivity to each others' hurts, habits, and hang-ups. We have to learn about the personal visions and goals that our bosses, employees, and co-workers have for the future. We need to ask questions to learn, rather than only asking questions to direct conversations. It's touchy-feely stuff, but it matters. What do you think? Hey Bill,

If a community pushes out a dissenter, then it’s not really a community, it’s an oligarchy (I had to look it up to make sure that was the right word).

Teachers are famous for following the path of least resistance: “Don’t ask any questions, and we can end this staff meeting with time for grading.” Admins are famous for bull-dozing dissenters who might upset the status quo: “I don’t want to be *that principal* who can’t keep his staff under control.” Dissenters themselves misunderstand their role: “I am the only person in this school who really gets it, and I will not be silenced!”

The special sauce of community that brings these people into harmony is empathy. Even though we all work in the same building, we do not all have the same cognitive, emotional, and energy resources. We have to exercise sensitivity to each others’ hurts, habits, and hang-ups. We have to learn about the personal visions and goals that our bosses, employees, and co-workers have for the future. We need to ask questions to learn, rather than only asking questions to direct conversations.

It’s touchy-feely stuff, but it matters. What do you think?

]]>